Go on and Kiss the Girl
by wimseyfive87
Summary: Anna's thoughts during THAT kiss. Just a little fluff.


_Just a bit of fluff. Anna's thoghts when Declan kisses her for the first time. Love this movie, but I don't own any of it._

"Go on, kiss the girl," Frank cried, the others around the table echoing him. Anna shook her head. This was not the way she thought she'd be spending her weekend. She thought she'd just fly to Dublin to propose to her boyfriend on Leap Year. Piece of cake. Instead, she had hit Ireland like a hurricane and was staying at a little bed-and-breakfast with the weirdest people she had ever met. There was the Italian couple, married for ages and still in obvious heat. The sweet landlady, Eileen, who only approved of married couples. The curmudgeonly owner, Frank, who was beginning to sound like Sebastian from The Little Mermaid. Then there was, of course, Declan.

She could see him squirming next to her in his chair, as the others kept cheering them to kiss. She and Declan had lied to their hosts, pretending they were actually a married couple. Anything to get a roof over their heads for the night. Anna had even helped Declan prepare dinner for the guests and landlords. Now, she could see him trying to find another route to keep their hosts happy and not find themselves on the street.

Declan. He ran a hand through his tousled black hair and scratched at his beard. She had only known him for two days and she felt more connected to him than any man she had ever known - including Jeremy, her boyfriend. Their strange road trip had begun after she landed in Ireland and had hired him to drive her to Dublin to meet Jeremy. In a series of bizarre adventures (seriously, her life hadn't been nearly this hectic and dramatic in America), they had ended up at the b-and-b - dirty, tired, starving and without a car. With anyone else, Anna would have been on the phone with the U.S. Embassy. She did not like adventure or chaos or insanity. She had had enough of that growing up. Instead of calling in the calgary, she realized that she felt…safe in Declan's hands. No matter what crazy, strange tornado life was going to throw at them next, Anna knew she would survive it because of him. She had never felt so calm, so anchored before. Not even Jeremy had kindled these raw, new emotions. The idea that this tall, goofy Irishman beside her could affect her in such a way frightened and intrigued her .

She frowned, suddenly very warm. The cries from the cheerleaders around the table weren't helping. Her heart was beginning to flip-flop inside of her. All this talk of kissing, complete with demonstrations, was making her dizzy. She needed to keep it together. Jeremy. She needed to think of Jeremy and her happily ever after. That was what she wanted, wasn't it?

"Kiss her man, kiss the girl!" Frank shouted again.

Anna made a face. Really. This was NOT helping.

A pair of warm, rough hands gently turned her face. Before she could speak, Declan pressed his lips against hers.

Anna froze, a sudden tingle of shock jostling her heart. She looked into Declan's eyes. They seemed to plead with her to keep up the charade. He didn't want to be kicked out into the cold anymore than she did. She found herself lost in those blue eyes as something else shone though his silent plea. Something deeper, something that echoed in her own heart.

All this happened in the space of an instant. Then he was kissing her again, causing her body to softly hum with electricity. She quickly began to kiss him back. She was lost to all time and space. She could feel nothing but Declan's warm mouth against hers. She could hear nothing but her heart fluttering against his. She could see nothing but stars against her eyelids. The musky scent of his sweater sent her spinning into oblivion.

She was dimly aware that she had never been kissed like this ever in her life. Her body wanted to drink in more of him with every second of their kiss. Every touch of his body scent sparks traveling under her skin.

Even after being with Jeremy (who?) for all these years, she had never felt such passion. She had never felt so alive, her heart fluttering like a butterfly in the wind. Jeremy (…?) had never looked at her so tenderly or caressed her cheek with such gentleness.

Abruptly, Declan pulled away, breaking the kiss. Reality crashed down upon her head and she felt marooned. She looked at Declan as if seeing him properly for the first time. Reality wanted to tell her that she was only pretending to be married and that she was supposed to love Jeremy, her cardiologist boyfriend. Her world had been tipped upside down and she didn't know if she could handle the chaos of change. His eyes briefly echoed her own confusion before he let her go completely.

Declan mumbled something and Anna made a "ta-da" gesture with her hands as the others applauded them. She could sense Declan sitting beside her, his shoulders stiff and itching for a chance to escape. She gulped at her drink, her head still spinning.

What was wrong with her? How could one man - a man she barely knew - electrify her in a way Jeremy never had? Anna traced her lips with her finger as the others took up their own conversations. No, Jeremy had never caused her heart to stutter like Declan had with one kiss. Jeremy's kisses were short and to the point. He was always waiting for the next text or call from a patient or doctor. Even their sex life was a blur. He was just eager to get on to the next case. That was what she loved about him, wasn't it? His dedication, his ambition, his determination.

Then there was Declan. A scruffy, cynical Irishman that she only seemed to irritate and bring chaos into his life. For every harsh word he shot her way, though she could see a softness that he kept hidden from daylight. She thought that with time she could slip beneath his hard, rough exterior and shine in the glow of his warm heart. She felt she could travel with him for days or weeks and never get bored. He could make her laugh or tell her a sweet story to cheer her when she thought her heart would break. He wasn't afraid to argue with her and she loved to argue. He could make her feel a thousand emotions with one look or one brief touch of his hand.

Something deep inside of her told her not to turn her back on Declan. He was something special that was created just for her. He fit her personality like a glove. The voice inside of her cried out for Declan, but was silent when she thought of Jeremy.

"I think it's time we cleared out plates and let the love birds go to bed," Frank chortled to his wife. She agreed with a laugh and there was a sharp symphony of chair sliding and plate scraping.

"Let me wash up," Declan offered. "It's the least I can do for your fine hospitality."

Anna looked up at him, his kindness still a surprise to see after spending time with his surly innkeeper. Even when not at his own bed and bath, he tried to play host. It was a role that suited him well.

"Here, I'll help too," Anna offered.

"No, sweet pea. You go straight to bed. I'll join you later," he said loudly for the benefit of their hosts. Frank and Eileen chucked in approval. _Love birds_ , they seemed to say.

Anna handed her plate to Declan, who refused to make eye contact. He practically ran out of the room with his arms full of dishes. She soon heard furious scrubbing from the kitchen. Anna slowly made her way past the kitchen's open door. As she did, Declan happened to look up at the same time. Their eyes met and she gave him a small smile. He smiled back crookedly. Embarrassed, she quickly turned and headed for the stairs and their room.

A thousand emotions ran through her body. She could hardly identify any of them. They fluttered in front of her like pages of a picture book. She flipped too quickly through them - afraid to recognize any of these new feelings. All she knew was that she still had to get to Dublin to propose to Jeremy. And she knew she wasn't going anywhere without Declan. She hoped by the time she got to Dublin, she could sort out a least some of her scattered feelings. Until then, she knew she would have one hell of an adventure.


End file.
